Eleanor Bay
Eleanor was born into House Dun, one of the minor houses of Bern. Shortly after her brother Aaron ascended as the lord of House Dun, Eleanor was betrothed to the heir of House Bay as part of an alliance between the two houses to help combat a problem with piracy along the Bernian coastline. This marriage and subsequent alliance went a long way towards improving the prestige and influence House Dun held in Bern. Backstory Eleanor is the second child and only daughter of Lord Cohen of House Dun. She had a fairly normal childhood for a noble girl until the age of six, when her mother Miriam died from an infection after giving birth to her youngest brother Seamus. The loss of her mother matured Eleanor far beyond her tender years. By the time Eleanor was ten she had more or less stepped into the role of pseudo-mother for Seamus, playing with him, comforting him when he was sick or hurt, and teaching him about life. Eleanor grew into a fine lady under the instruction of her tutors and governesses. Eventually, when she was fifteen, she stepped into the role her mother had previously occupied as Lady of House Dun, overseeing the management of the household and assisting her father and older brother Aaron in their business. However, her life was upended again when she was seventeen- pirates attacked her hometown of Jennet, killing her father and leaving the city in disarray. Eleanor was badly shaken by the loss of her father, and threw herself into caring for Seamus as a distraction and coping mechanism. About a month later, the lord of House Bay, Ian Bay, came to Jennet to discuss plans with Aaron for bolstering their mutual defense. Eventually the two lords agreed to form an alliance between their houses, and cement it by the marriage of their house members. Much to Eleanor's shock, Aaron told her that she was now betrothed to the heir of House Bay, Corrin. Though initially insistent that she couldn't possibly be a proper match for the future lord of such a prestigious house, Eleanor was reassured upon talking to Ian herself. Perpetration were put into motion, and in the summer she traveled to Kustanair to meet her fiance... More to come Appearances * A Rocky Start - Part Four - Eleanor is watching her little brother Seamus play in the garden when her older brother Aaron comes to tell her that she has been betrothed to the heir of House Bay. She is initially unsure if she can live up to the position, but after a talk with the heir's father Ian she feels more optimistic. * In the Night, the Bookkeeper Missed Dinner Again - Eleanor briefly cameos at the beginning, visiting Jennet from Kustanair to see her baby brother off on his trip to Destrier. Personality Eleanor seems, upon first impressions, to be everything a proper noblewoman should be. Polite, soft spoken, dutiful, patient, and humble. And she is all of those things, taking her role and responsibilities seriously and molding herself to fit that role as best she can. Her naturally quiet demeanor helps her tremendously here. However, beneath the surface there is a surprisingly plentiful wellspring of passion and strength, which while not strictly ladylike are hard traits to dislike. Relationships Corrin Bay When Eleanor met her soon-to-be-husband Corrin, she was initially too wrapped up in her own nervousness to register his obvious crush on her. With House Bay being the most powerful house in the region behind House Stallion, Eleanor was convinced that she was going to look like an uncivilized savage, being from a very uninfluential mountain house. Determined to make a good impression, she was at first extremely proper and respectful with Corrin, to the dismay of the poor, smitten boy who wasn't sure how to express his affection for her without pushing the boundaries of decorum. Gradually however, he was able to relax her guard with his sweet nature, and his tentative flirtatious overtures caught Eleanor very much by surprise- but a pleasant sort of surprise. She had never expected to be given more that a cool, distant sort of respect from her arranged marriage, and Corrin's efforts to kindle a sincere relationship with her warmed her up to him very quickly. The progress of the relationship is slow, both of them being shy, awkward teenagers with no real dating experience, but Eleanor greatly appreciates Corrin's sweet sincerity and cares for him deeply. Ian Bay Trolling father-in-law Aaron Dun Big bro she respects. Theodore Dun Lil bro she finds amusing and exasperating. Seamus Dun Eleanor was only six years old when her mother died giving birth to her youngest brother Seamus, and one might have thought she would resent the baby for tearing her mother away. But Eleanor never did. Instead she took it upon herself to look after Seamus once he was old enough to no longer be under constant supervision by his nannies and nurses. She gave her baby brother emotional support and a close confidant, essentially stepping into the role of surrogate mother for him. The two of them were extremely close, which meant that when Eleanor was sent to Kustanair in 1303- with Seamus only eleven- her youngest brother's well being was the biggest hangup she had over the entire arrangement. Fortunately Lord Ian was a kind man, and agreed to allow Seamus to visit Eleanor in Kustanair and vice versa as often as the two of them wished, so long as they weren't busy. Seamus frequently visited his sister as a teenager when he needed advice that only a mother-figure could give him, and though as adults the distance meant he and Eleanor were not as close as they were when they were kids, they still share a very deep level of trust and understanding with one-another. Eleanor would give anything to see Seamus happy with his life. Category:Medieval characters Category:Non-game characters Category:Bernians Category:Minor Nobles